Thanks for signing up! You might also like these other newsletters:

Nearly 30 million Americans get migraines, which can range mild to severe headaches. Migraines previously were thought to be a result of abnormal dilation of blood vessels in the brain, but scientists now believe that the cause may be more complex, and involve inherited differences in brain chemistry.

Women are much more likely than men to have migraines, as are people with a family history of migraines.

But not all migraines are alike and not everyone has the same migraine symptoms, says neurologist Alexander Mauskop, MD, a founder and director of the New York Headache Center in Manhattan and White Plains, N.Y.

Migraine length varies. The National Headache Foundation says most migraines last 4 to 72 hours. “But some people have migraines for a shorter time and some people have them for longer — it’s very individual,” Dr. Mauskop says.

The good news is that if you have any of these warning signs and know a migraine is coming, you may be able to limit how long it lasts. As soon as you notice any of these signs, start migraine treatment, Mauskop says. Have a glass of water. Take your over-the-counter medication and move to a place that is dark and quiet.

Some people find that relaxation techniques, such as meditation or massage, will help release the tension they feel in their face, jaw, or neck. If you can release tension with these techniques, your migraine won’t be as severe or last as long. Others find that putting a cold compress on their temples will help relieve their migraine symptoms and keep their migraine from lasting as long, Maskoup says.

You might find that eating certain foods increases your chances of having a migraine. The more you eat or drink these foods, the worse the migraine is and the longer it lasts. If you avoid these triggers, you may be able to take control of your migraines or at least lessen migraine length when you do have one.

Some people get not only an initial migraine, but also another stronger and longer lasting migraine than the first, shortly after the first migraine subsides. The second migraine is known as a rebound migraine, and may be due to overuse of medication for the first headache. To reduce migraine duration and severity, you want to avoid rebound headaches. You need to treat your migraine immediately to prevent the need for multiple doses of medication and later rebound migraines, Maskoup says. Talk to your doctor about the best migraine treatment for you.

Migraine Treatment to the Rescue

You can treat migraines with two types of medications: one for relieving the pain (which you should start as soon as the migraine does) and one for preventing migraines before they occur.

Migraine symptoms can be treated with over-the-counter medications. These include acetaminophen (such as Tylenol); an acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine combination (Excedrin Migraine); ibuprofen (Motrin); or naproxen (Aleve). You also can treat attacks with prescription drugs called triptans that narrow blood vessels in the brain to help relieve pain and restore function. Triptans include almotriptan (Axert), frovatriptan (Frova) and rizatriptan (Maxalt). Triptans are expensive, and they should not be used by people with heart disease.

Migraine treatments also include prescription medications that were originally developed for epilepsy, depression, or high blood pressure — these can often prevent future attacks, Mauskop says.

Women whose migraines are associated with their menstrual cycles may find relief with hormone therapy to regulate how often they have a menstrual period.

Many people do get migraine relief from various treatments. “However, if your headaches persist or they last a long time, you should seek medical help from a neurologist or headache specialist,” says Mauskop. “You shouldn’t self-treat migraines if they are unusually long or you’re having them for the first time.”